The Canadiens appear to be open to moving winger Mike Hoffman for no return, reports Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. The 33-year-old signed with Montreal two years ago in the hopes of adding some offense and pop to their power play. However, his goal-per-game outputs the last two years were the lowest of his career while their success rate with the man advantage remains near the bottom of the league. Hoffman has one year left on his contract with a $4.5MM AAV and it seems that the Canadiens are simply hoping that someone will take a flyer on someone whose longer-term track record as a sniper has been strong. However, with so many other teams either wanting or needing to make a move like that, they may not be able to make a move like that. Seravalli adds that Montreal isn’t willing to buy him out.
More from the Atlantic Division:
- Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News examined some possible comparable contracts for defenseman Owen Power who is eligible to sign an extension in July. If the two sides want to work out a max-term contract, the deals for Florida blueliner Aaron Ekblad or Dallas rearguard Miro Heiskanen could be the range. Ekblad checks in at $7.5MM while Heiskanen’s deal, signed just last summer, is $8.45MM. Meanwhile, if the two sides want to do a bridge contract, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams doesn’t have to look very far as teammate Rasmus Dahlin’s current deal (three years, $6MM AAV) should stand as a rough barometer for what a short-term deal for Power would cost. Dahlin is also extension-eligible this summer and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Adams take a run at getting them both locked up early.
- Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes that the Senators are undecided about qualifying winger Julien Gauthier later this month. The 25-year-old was acquired late in the season as part of the Tyler Motte trade and held his own down the stretch, notching five points in 17 games. Owed a tender of just $840K, the hesitance would seem to revolve around his arbitration eligibility. While his career numbers wouldn’t land him a significant raise by any stretch, it could push his price tag higher than Ottawa is comfortable paying.
Gauthier isn’t even worth dealing with. No reason to qualify him.
I liked him in his role down the stretch. I’d rather pay him that much to be a 4th line guy than the overpay they usually make on some washed vet to fill that role.
Only way Hoffman gets delt is if a playoff team has a top 6 long term injury. They can get Hoffman for 2.25 and a 3rd or 4th for a 2nd something like that is the only way. And maybe it’s Hoffman and a 4th for a 3rd. And for those wondering it’s only a drop of somewhere between 10-18 spots in the draft
Or if a team is looking for an easy way to get 4.5M closer to the cap floor.
Yeah. Hello, Mr. Hoffman, welcome to the desert.
(No, Mr. Hughes, you’re not going to get someone taking him off of your hands for nothing. Cough up those picks.)
Good time to be a sabres fan
it’s crazy that teams are still willing out those dollars to youngsters.
no offense to power, he’s just trying to get fair value, but he’s played less than a season and a half in the NHL and we are talking 7+ million per?
Agree, seems steep for a guy that young coming off his first season. He still has two ELC seasons left though right? And the extension would kick in the year after next?
Could be a huge bargain by then…
Yeah Sabres should wait it out.